diff --git a/pkg/controller/endpointslice/endpointslice_controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/endpointslice/endpointslice_controller_test.go
index cd3c7702ab3..03476f112d0 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/endpointslice/endpointslice_controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/endpointslice/endpointslice_controller_test.go
@@ -782,7 +782,7 @@ func TestSyncService(t *testing.T) {
 						Serving:     ptr.To(true),
 						Terminating: ptr.To(false),
 					},
-					Addresses: []string{"fd08::5678:0000:0000:9abc:def0"},
+					Addresses: []string{"fd08::5678:0:0:9abc:def0"},
 					TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{Kind: "Pod", Namespace: "default", Name: "pod1"},
 					NodeName:  ptr.To("node-1"),
 				},
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/reconciler_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/reconciler_test.go
index 917c882a344..713b14d1cc5 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/reconciler_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/reconciler_test.go
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ func TestReconcile1Pod(t *testing.T) {
 			expectedEndpointPerSlice: map[discovery.AddressType][]discovery.Endpoint{
 				discovery.AddressTypeIPv6: {
 					{
-						Addresses: []string{"1234::5678:0000:0000:9abc:def0"},
+						Addresses: []string{"1234::5678:0:0:9abc:def0"},
 						Conditions: discovery.EndpointConditions{
 							Ready:       pointer.Bool(true),
 							Serving:     pointer.Bool(true),
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ func TestReconcile1Pod(t *testing.T) {
 			expectedEndpointPerSlice: map[discovery.AddressType][]discovery.Endpoint{
 				discovery.AddressTypeIPv6: {
 					{
-						Addresses: []string{"1234::5678:0000:0000:9abc:def0"},
+						Addresses: []string{"1234::5678:0:0:9abc:def0"},
 						Conditions: discovery.EndpointConditions{
 							Ready:       pointer.Bool(true),
 							Serving:     pointer.Bool(true),
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ func TestReconcile1Pod(t *testing.T) {
 			expectedEndpointPerSlice: map[discovery.AddressType][]discovery.Endpoint{
 				discovery.AddressTypeIPv6: {
 					{
-						Addresses: []string{"1234::5678:0000:0000:9abc:def0"},
+						Addresses: []string{"1234::5678:0:0:9abc:def0"},
 						Conditions: discovery.EndpointConditions{
 							Ready:       pointer.Bool(true),
 							Serving:     pointer.Bool(true),
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/utils.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/utils.go
index 2cd4e018318..18ea614672e 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/utils.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/utils.go
@@ -109,13 +109,15 @@ func getEndpointAddresses(podStatus v1.PodStatus, service *v1.Service, addressTy
 	addresses := []string{}
 
 	for _, podIP := range podStatus.PodIPs {
-		isIPv6PodIP := utilnet.IsIPv6String(podIP.IP)
+		// We parse and restringify the pod IP in case it is in an irregular format.
+		ip := utilnet.ParseIPSloppy(podIP.IP)
+		isIPv6PodIP := utilnet.IsIPv6(ip)
 		if isIPv6PodIP && addressType == discovery.AddressTypeIPv6 {
-			addresses = append(addresses, podIP.IP)
+			addresses = append(addresses, ip.String())
 		}
 
 		if !isIPv6PodIP && addressType == discovery.AddressTypeIPv4 {
-			addresses = append(addresses, podIP.IP)
+			addresses = append(addresses, ip.String())
 		}
 	}